Cilantro

MiCasa All Suite Hotel, 368B Jalan Tun Razak
Tel: 03–2179 8082

www.micasahotel.com

After more than a year's absence-during which time (younger) sister restaurant Sage deftly stepped into the limelight and earned the gushing plaudits of foodies-in-yearning-Cilantro is back, and a more eagerly anticipated return KL has never seen. And yet, stepping into the restaurant, there is an unshakeable sense of sameness to it: the same beige-cream-off-white hues dominate the same circular seating with banquettes at the side. Perhaps the management wanted a sense of continuity, preferring to keep refurbishment changes unobtrusive so the familiarity wouldn't be disrupted; certainly, it feels disturbingly reminiscent of an old friend who left many years ago and returned with the same mannerisms, telling the same well-worn jokes, and dressed exactly as he always had.

Happily, the food and service remain the same: impeccably well-turned out staff with a good command of the food and wine they serve are complemented by the quality and presentation of signature Cilantro classics which, while not revolutionary, are eloquent reminders of why we were so crazy about Cilantro in the first place.

If money's not a huge concern-and it shouldn't be when you are dining at an establishment like Cilantro, after all, the food merits it-then the dégustation menu is highly recommended as it offers novice Cilantro-ites a delicious introduction to Chef Takeshi Kimura's culinary magic and seasoned diners a welcome reminder of what's been missing from their plates for the last couple of years.

There's the superb pan fried unagi with foie gras which-more than just being a mouthful of heaven-serves as a succinct reminder of the heights fusion cuisine can attain when handled masterfully. There's also the irreproachable grilled wagyu, the fat marbling of which has been cooked to just-perfect caramelised crunchiness.

The jewel of the already star-studded crown, however, has to be-apart from the more-ish complimentary truffle butter preceding the meal-the exquisite and oh-so-irresistible angel hair pasta crowned with sea urchin. A mouth-watering juxtaposition of flavours and textures, the springy al dente pasta provides the perfect foil for the creamy sea urchin roe. Follow that with a sip of the umeishu, and you're once again reminded why you've been feeling so empty these last few years, only to remember with a happy start that things are good again; your old friend has returned, and she's still the same. FAY KHOO



High Tide

Ground floor, Menara Taipan,
Jalan Punchak (off Jalan P Ramlee).
Tel: 03–2072 4452

hightidekl.com

Recently, without much fanfare, we caught wind of a high-end, fine dining restaurant that specialises in fish, a place that is flying below the radar but that—upon closer inspection—promises great things. With the Nero group as parents, High Tide sees one of KL’s most promising chefs coming into its kitchen, Evert Onderbeke, a man who has Michelin star training and aspirations. There’s also Belgian Carole Pinel, the manager, a woman with London service experience and ethos, a crisp mannered professional who’s tasked with guiding the talent to the dinner plate. Using fish as their medium, the team is painting fine brushstrokes on diners’ opinions and making a growing name for themselves. Armed with all that, we paid our signature anonymous visit to judge for ourselves.

First thing to know, High Tide is in an unexpected location, in the Menara Taipan near the KL Tower. It might take you a bit of manoeuvring to find it and parking isn’t easy, an early teething problem that will have to be worked out. Also, as it’s a top shelf level place, not for the price conscious (although, it must be said, more competitive than Pacifica or Lafite, its brethren in intent), it can be fairly dead. The night we ate there we were the only diners, that sense of forlorn not helped by the lack of music (which by way of suggestion I’d say is a something to be added).

Luckily Carole is on hand to smile and drive away such thoughts and when the food starts coming out, you feel a guilty sense of avariciousness and pleasure that you have the place all to yourself. You have knowingly discovered a dining gem, culinary purity. Other diners will just slow things down. My amuse bouche was playful and creative, potato and leek soup with truffle foam smoked monkfish with shaved fennel and citrus, a dressing of parmesan crusted turbot with black trumpet to augment it perfectly. My main of grilled king fish, mixed mushrooms, root vegetable puree and lobster emulsion was very, very good although the king fish by its nature has a texture that you have to appreciate to like enthusiastically; far better was my dining partner’s grilled yellow fin tuna, eggplant puree, vegetable lasagna and capsicum coulis; excellent. A pre-dessert palate cleanser of lavender and white chocolate creme brulee was terrific and the dessert of lime panna cotta with fig cream cannelloni and pear sorbet was heavenly.

Conclusion? I’d love to keep High Tide my best new secret but I’m compelled by paycheck to share: simply put it’s one of the best new restaurant openings, especially operating at the level that it is. Get there before everyone else does. SAM COLEMAN



MOXIE

44G, Plaza Damansara, Jalan Medan Setia 2,
Bukit Damansara, 50490 KL.
Tel: 03–2095 0016

www.moxie.my

Moxie isn't a novelty among restaurants in KL. It has been quietly going about its business since its opening late last year and still is. The inside is comfortable, solid, well set up. But it's the kind of place you can settle into with a sense of repose mixed with expectation. As to its location... what is it about Damansara? With La Suisse and Deutsches Gasthaus around the corner, the area's turning into an absolute gastrohub.

Looking at the menu, there is that clever mixture of European classics—fromage frite, Welsh rarebit, royal rack of lamb, roasted olive croûte cod. Although I was tempted by the all-time classic chicken Kiev, I followed my love of seafood and went instead for the seafood nage and smoked trout. Cooked in fish fumet, it was hearty and deliciously succulent. As I saw from my fellow diners' reactions, their dishes were equally tasty. The basics were carefully done and, on the whole, satisfying indeed. On the whole, I think the food was rather richer than we're used to. It was a tad showy, but what is more pertinent for the discerning eater is whether or not these dishes are well cooked. They are. It almost makes me think that the eating of good food outside the home could be a habit rather than a treat.

By the end of dinner, I was in a state of cheeriness and giddiness—quite different from being drunk—that I almost wandered into the men's room. That tells you a lot about Moxie.
SYAZLYNIA RAHIM



Thirty Two at the Mansion

32 at the Mansion,
Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah,
10000 Georgetown, Penang
Tel: 04–262 2232

www.32atthemansion.com

If you ask him, before, during or after your meal, the well-informed manager at Thirty Two will tell you all about the history of the building. But if you don’t want to, I’ll sum it up: the old mansion used to belong to a Mr Leong and his family who went missing sometime in the 1970s or ’80s. Now it’s been converted into an almost-fine dining restaurant near the prestigious Lebuh Farquhar. I say ‘almost’ because there’s a casual air about Thirty Two; one that doesn’t succumb to the grand setting yet one that will quite happily host a dinner date or business meeting.

The entrance, though, is odd. The restaurant was busy when we went midweek (a pleasant surprise in itself), but you wouldn’t know from the completely vacant opening, or the similarly silent bar that greets anyone venturing further than the lobby. Here you’re faced with a choice: left and inside to what we later discover is Thirty Two; or right and outside to sister restaurant Beach Blanket Babylon. After an awkward wait we were lead inside by a passing waiter and the evening improved considerably.

I went for a chicken-based appetiser—“top hats” (small pastry parcels, basically) with shredded vegetables and chicken served with garlic chilli salsa—while my friend went for mainly seafood¬; a platter of soft-shelled crab, chicken wantan and pan-seared scallops. Both carried more than a hint of Thai inspiration and both were an excellent introduction. Onto mains, and the house speciality six-spice marinated barbeque chicken was just a little too sweet and a lot too fatty to fill the appetisers’ shoes. The accompanying vegetables though were cooked perfectly in butter, and the whole dish was decorated elegantly with a brush stroke of viscous soy sauce. In fact, all plates here look fantastic, and our waiter was happy to describe each one as they passed the table en route to other diners.

That’s how I chose dessert: a walnut and chocolate moist pudding with molten chocolate certainly filled a cocoa hole and the sticky toffee pudding too was excellent. However, the meal never reached the heights of the delicious starters. That’s not so much a criticism as a complement to the starters, but it did—at the fear of sounding pretentious (the restaurant really isn’t)—throw the balance of the meal slightly. Loved the top hats and tails/desserts, but would try a different main when I return.